All transfer applicants — including international applicants — are considered using the same eligibility requirements and selection process. When you fill out your UC application, you will be required to report all college and university coursework ever taken, even if you think your courses may not be UC-transferable. No final decisions on transfer credit will be made until you officially apply and enroll at UCSB.
Admission Requirements & Being Selective
Attaining eligibility means meeting the minimum requirements to be admitted to UC Santa Barbara. However, minimum eligibility does not assure admission. When UCSB cannot admit all eligible applicants, we use standards called "selection criteria" to select students who are more competitive than the minimum requirements. In order to be a selective applicant, we would recommend meeting eligibility requirements with a strong GPA.
Determining Course Transferability
UCSB will accept credits from colleges or universities that are properly recognized by a country’s Ministry of Education or appropriate government agency. The school must be well recognized in order for UCSB to accept credit. For admissions purposes, UCSB will only consider transfer credit for subjects that are similar to those offered in the UC system. Vocational, technical, or remedial courses are not accepted. Please refer to the Guide to Course Transferability PDF for further details.
Reporting Foreign Academic Records
When you apply, you must report ALL foreign coursework as it would appear on your foreign academic records. When filling out your UC application, you are required to report your junior/community college or diploma program courses along with all other post-secondary coursework and grades received. UCSB generally does not transfer credit from junior/community college programs that are technical or vocational in nature or that do not lead on to further academic study at a university.
Meeting English Composition & English Proficiency
You are required to have two transferable courses in English composition with grades of "C" or better in order to be eligible for admission. Completing these courses with grades of “C” or higher will also prove English language proficiency. If you are applying to transfer directly from a foreign college or university, be aware that English courses completed at a non-U.S. institution where the language of instruction is not English are not acceptable to meet this requirement.
Duolingo English Test
For international applicants whose primary language is not English, we recommend taking the Duolingo English Test. Taking the test is optional. UCSB remains committed to reviewing all applications thoroughly and thoughtfully, with or without the test and video interview. Students not taking the exam will not be at a disadvantage.